HOT PREVIEWS "BARBER": Hawaii Opera Theatre Artistic Director Henry Akina, second from left, talked with Evelyn Lance, left, Lori Thomas and Dan Katayama at the VIP Dress Rehearsal Reception for "The Barber of Seville," Feb. 11 in the Blaisdell Concert Hall. Guests enjoyed a hearty Italian buffet before going inside to watch Stephen Powell (Figaro) play the titular barber while zipping around the stage on a Segway. Director Lawrence Edelson said he had Powell use the machine because "Figero needs to be everywhere at once, and for a singer to be in that sort of perpetual motion would sacrifice their singing." The final show is at 7:30 tonight. Call 596-7858.

RANKIN SUPERB AT HAWAII THEATRE: Kenny Rankin, left, greeted promoter "Uncle Tom" Moffatt before his Valentine's Day concert at the Hawaii Theatre. Rankin played guitar and piano, sang a cappella, demonstrated his skill as an arranger and told a few good jokes as well. His nonstop 1-hour, 43-minute concert was superb.

ALVERIO CELEBRATES "THE BIG THREE-SIX": Local actor Kent Alverio (Rocky in "The Rocky Horror Show" at LCC) welcomed Christy Chung and Scott Becker to his no-host birthday dinner party Friday evening at Buon Amici in Kaimuki. Finding the hole-in-the-wall restaurant was a challenge after dark, but the place was filled nonetheless with friends helping him celebrate.

"HEAL THE HEARTS" HANA HOU: Divorce law specialists Greg Frey, third from left, and Brad Coates, fifth from left, were generous hosts at their ninth annual "Heal the Hearts" Valentine's Day Ball Friday at Aloha Tower. David Hayakawa, left, Jennifer Tokuda, Katheryn Yamauchi, Donna Chun and David Booth were among the friends, colleagues, clients and former clients who agreed with the duo's premise that "there is no better cure for a broken heart than a good party."

"Heal the Hearts" emcee Rocky Dunmire took a break from the mike to personally welcome Jessica White, left, and Katie Byers. The "angels" were representing Ciroc vodka, which is distilled from grapes rather than potatoes, wheat or rye, and they made a lot of friends as they handed out Ciroc breath mints and glow-in-the-dark Ciroc pens.